Prespawn Bass Fishing

Prespawn Techniques and Locations

Prespawn is defined as the timeframe before the spawn occurs. It begins at about 45 degrees for a water temperature maybe a little earlier. Depending on where you live, it can last 1 month to 3 months. At this time, the fish are beginning to move up into shallower water and staging areas feeding up and searching for the best spawning grounds. In the initial stages, the first fish begin to move into the creek channels and onto deeper secondary points closest to spawning flats. Good techniques for this time of year are reaction baits (Crankbait, Rattletraps, and Spinnerbaits) fished around these locations. If it is really tough slow down and fish a carolina rig or a jig around any kind of wood structures around these locations in deeper water. Look for wind protected coves and points adjacent to these on North shores especially as the water begins to warm. The biggest sows will move in earliest and spawn earlier most of the time.

Lets discuss prespawn fishing, as the water begins to warm, fish will move on their migration routes to shallower water and start to move up as the water warms. First, you will find them in deeper channels and long points close to spawning flats or banks. Roadbeds that lead from deeper to shallower water can be very good as well. Rocky banks and riprap as well as dirtier water will be the first to warm and fish instinctively know where these areas are and are the first places they will go. Any wood cover or dark grass in those areas that warm quickly fish will hold tightly to. Water temperatures should be about 45-50 degrees and the fish will still be a little sluggish, but a couple of nice warm days put together can really get them started. This time of year crawfish, colored crank baits, and jigs can be very good when fish aren't real active. My favorite bait this time of year is suspending jerkbaits because they allow you to cover water quickly, but still present a slower presentation. A flat sided crankbait can be a great choice as well on a light line. Target the deepest transitional areas close to main river, and front of creeks to start the year. I fancast an area and cover, if I get bit I will slow down in that area and follow up with a jig.

Jerkbait fishing in the spring can be incredible and is a favorite technique of mine this time of year. This was in a tournament in March after a pretty severe cold front but it was still cloudy and windy from the north and the bait was being pushed into a staging point beside a spawning flat. The week or so prior the weather had been pretty decent and water temps were in the low 50's. The fish were wanting to pull up with a full moon coming in about a week that urge to spawn was there. Take a look at the video and I hope you take something from it that helps you in the future. I was fishing a Megabass 110 Magnum which is a larger suspending jerkbait that early in the year can be killer! I had a 20# bag that I caught in just under an hour. I fished the rest of the day on catching smaller keepers unable to cull from there. Watching my environment and seeing the gulls feeding on shad keyed me in on the location of these fish.

Once the water gets 50-60 degrees, you can speed up your presentations and cover more water as the fish will spread out a little more and become more active. They have moved farther back in the coves up those migration routes you were concentrating on earlier in the spring. I am still throwing my jerkbait and jigs on tougher days, but I will start fishing a spinnerbait or rattletrap now. These lures will allow you to cover water faster, and locate those groups of bass that are moving up. Now I would be looking for shallow ditches in flats and grass under the water. Also stump rows and bushes with quick access to deeper water are good spots for bass to set up in preparation of the spawn. If I catch fish in an area on a rattletrap or spinnerbait this time of year and they slow down I will follow through that area with a carolina rig with a lizard to catch those fish that may not be as active. Cranking secondary points parallel down the bank can be a great method this time of year concentrating on the cover and contour. Once you find how deep they are it is a very repeatable pattern up and down the lake.

At this point we are always looking for the warmest water we can find that provides shelter for spawning. The first banks to get good are going to be northern banks of the lake that get the most sunshine and if they are protected from the wind even better. The best banks will be sandy or small gravel with some kind of grass or wood for the fish to be up against. Also, transition areas are favorites of the fish where you go from big rocks to small rocks or plain banks to weed covered. Another thing to watch for in the spring is warm rains, a wet rainy day when warmer water than in the lake is pouring in will draw fish into the area not only for the bait that gets washed in but just for that warming water. Also, at this time some bigger females will spawn if we get a full moon and a steady uptrend in warming water that passes the 55 degree mark. This can be the best time to catch that Sow of a Lifetime!

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